The indigenous mythologies link black swans with their territory, the wetland, human practices and sustainable land-use strategies. Progressive encroachment on Aboriginal land and habitats of native wildlife followed. Accounts of 'vandalising the swans in the 'swamps', stealing eggs during their non-flying moulting season exist from 1882. Gould reported of whaling ships filled with black swans. Settlers and swans appeared already then as incompatible.
A culture of culling entrenched itself on the southern continent. Native fauna was extracted from the land and water to divert these resources to introduced and often costly run-away fauna. Struggling to extract a European-like life-style out of the driest continent on Earth, which by then was undermined by their feral hopping rabbits, land erosion and sandstorms. A scapegoat had to be sacrificed in 1932 when farmers called in the army against starving emus in WA. 20,000 emus were gunned down by machine guns. Dingoes and kangaroos are being 'culled' today not to restore a non-existing agricultural paradigm, but to conquer habitat for human beings (and their dogs) exclusively.
Australian protected wetlands are too often utilised for purposes other than conservation of a biome. Dogs are allowed to roam and stress the waterfowl. Vehicles, boats and aircraft leave their pollution. (pdf) Energy intensive vehicles share the habitat of waterbirds generously, whether their owners are willing to share water or any other resource with 'wildlife' is another. Habitat destruction, “environmental mismanagement” and climate-induced drought is a challenge for Australian wetlands and their flora and fauna. "This is the beginning of the end for the lakes, but going out and slaughtering the wildlife is not the solution."
The most recent occupants (and visitors) tend to be only mobile in motor-cars. "Most people try to traverse the [Nullarbor] journey as quick as possible and they just endure it..” Maybe this is not a remark about the Nullarbor, but about a way of perceiving the environment (in Australia) when racing to get to 'it' or 'getting away from it all'. Knowledge and a positive disposition to the land (scape) would probably aid 'seeing'/understanding.The inability to see 'country', makes Australians pop BIG artifacts into the landscape, usually after it has been shaved. Then there is a reason to travel to 'it' and pay for 'it'.
Already impacts by increasing visitor numbers is resulting in damage. The N.P. is the size of Tasmania and enforcement is limited by staffing. Golfing is associated with huge water needs and mostly toxic run offs. This would impact significantly on the diverse marine and terrestial flora and faunaof the area.
Could the Federal Government not fund its unique natural assets, instead of furthering another unsustainable venue, that might eliminate what is special about Australia. Local or o.s. tourists are unlikely to visit such a venue. Keep the natural, indigenous, paleontological heritage of the Nullarbor plain as an asset.
Some years ago I heard a lyrebird mimic corroboree-sounds in this Sydney national park. The memory must have passed on, although the dominant sound now is a ubiquitous rage of the (petrol) machinery over the land and ocean of contemporary Australia. This was a one-off magic space-time. The superb lyrebird can be heard sounding the new motorised racket of chainsaws, 4x4s and of course the Australian mowers starting up. It still engages in the mimicry of the remaining other birds that the packs of dogs from the subs have not yet mauled. Do watch this wonderful creature on this video, presented by D. Attenborough:
Updates in soundscapes
29.12.2011
Captive lyrebird mimics the sound most prevalent in Australia: Construction work, drills, hammers and saws. ( video ) The bird has been in captivity for 20 years. Maybe noise pollution and vibration put an end to his life at age 32 abc 29122011
29.05.2014
Now they imitate the sounds of chainsaws, car alarms, camera shutters, video games and crying babiesTreehugger, odditycentral
20.05.2015
Lyrebirds imitating paper mills and trains sounds, Don Watson on soundcloud
To visualise the previous post on ocean pollution, this video is worth watching. The Algalita Marine Research Foundation depicts the problem of marine debris in our ecosystem.In the video entitled "Plastic Debris, Rivers to Sea" it is claimed that "80% of marine debris is land-based and 90% of floating marine debris is plastics."
Since the beginning of time human beings have utilised the 71 % of the Earth's watery surface to dump their rubbish. What has changed, is the massive population and the nature of the artificial anti-products that are now disposed in the world oceans by individuals and industry. Apart from the cost-effective discarding of 'millions of tonnes of sewage and toxic waste' gigantic amounts of plastic is added. ”80% of marine debris originates from land based sources.” Just the plastic alone floats for hundereds of years on the surface and is distributed/ 'flushed' with the ocean currents to all corners of the globe (map). With time the pellets of domestic and industrial waste develop into ever smaller particles. They are given the cute term: 'Tears of the Mermaid'. These toxic, microscopic particles then enter living organisms in the ocean at all levels. They remain and accumulate in the aquatic and terrestial living beings.The degradation of the entire food-chain is the inheritance left behind. The issue is unfortuntely not sufficiently important to act on, there have been variousreportsover the years – all in wane. Some attention is generated now as there is a financial impact on large boats having trouble getting thorough the plastic debris. More on causes and effects Disposable Oceans, Greenpeace Mother Jones defending oceans
The photographic art of Chris Jordan depicts Grand Canyons of anti-products heaped up. 'Intolerable Beauty' is a documentation of (American) mass consumption. Fictions of certainty are dislodged in 'Kartina's Wake'. Worth viewing.
A pelican, a protected Australian species (Pelecanus conspicillatus) has been shot by 'hunters' in the Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve in the Northern Territory. In another catchment reserve another ' hunter' has been fined $ 330 as he was caught with a lead shot. About the effects of this heavy metal on birds and the environment Folly has reported before. Elsewhere Albatrosses and Pelicans are dying from human caused eutrophication.
